Warning! May Require Further Assembly
by Eli Jeli
Summary: It's really funny how life screws you over sometimes, as Harry comes to find out. Not only did his best friend ditch him for a two bit slut, but he has to deal with his new roommate: Draco Malfoy. To top it all off: He's dying.


**Warning! May Require Further Assembly  
**by Eli Jeli

-DMHP-

**Summary**: It's really funny how life screws you over sometimes, as Harry comes to find out. Not only did his best friend ditch him for a two-bit slut, but he has to deal with his new roommate: Draco Malfoy. To top it all off: He's dying.

**Warnings**: Eventual slash, Extreme AU, OOC

**Disclaimer**: Please note that the fiction of Harry Potter belongs to J. K. Rowling.

-DMHP-

Prologue

"Inhale. Exhale. You're doing a good job Harry, keep it up. Inhale . . ."

She was relatively pretty, he figured. Her hair was long and appeared to be soft to the touch. It had a slight wave to it the echoed his own untamable mane. She had wide, almond-shaped eyes that promised a brighter future. He scoffed at the idea.

Yeah right. As if that were true.

He closed his own eyes and resumed his meditative trance. There wasn't any room for an aspirant, cheery doctor in his mind. She only stood out because she was so young compared to the others. The 'others' included faceless aged men and women who moved about his life, pretending that someday there would be a cure. If only life were so optimistic.

Harry shook off the inner melancholy thoughts and rose to stand as the session ended.

"You're improving every time I see you, sweetie. I just wish some of my other patients had the determination you have," the pretty doctor smiled so sincerely it left Harry with no choice but to smile back.

"Thank you, Dr. Granger," he replied softly. The young man's eyes held a glimmer of appreciation for the kind words she always spared him. It wasn't often he came across such a compassionate person. On some level he thought if things had been a little dissimilar there might have been a chance that the two would have met under different circumstances and eventually have been friends.

Harry's smile broadened as he thought about returning home. He turned away from the woman and began to walk from the room, careful to avoid the small table that supported a glass vase with flowers springing out of it. He had been about to step out of the door when a voice called out to him.

"Take care of yourself, Harry."

He turned to look back over his shoulder, his hand resting lightly on the frame of the door. He studied the room and the woman inside it for a moment. How could such a simple room house such a great mind? There were only two pale green sofas, a maple desk with an accompanying chair, the aforementioned table and vase combination, and a few portraits hung up on the traditional beige walls. She was dressed in a clean outfit of a white buttoned down cotton shirt and flannel black pants. Yet, she was the kindest soul to ever stretch a hand out to offer help.

"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine." This time the smile he wore brought a light to his eyes that made him seem significantly lovelier.

Hermione had to catch her breath as the man disappeared from the door. She felt the familiar sting of tears rise up. They always came after a session with the mysterious Mr. Potter. Her throat constricted as she swallowed down the bought of sorrow and choked back her emotions. It simply wasn't professional, and she shouldn't have emotional attachments to her patients; but it really was hard were Harry was concerned.

She walked back to her plain and unadorned desk. She lifted a hand slowly and brought it across the manila folder that enclosed all of Harry's documents. A sharp breathe left her.

Sometimes, life was so unfair.

* * *

Harry shivered and wrapped his long black jacket tighter around him as he walked out the doors to the St. Petersburg General Hospital. His car wasn't parked far away. When he reached the crème colored car his friends liked to call 'the Marshmallow', Harry unlocked the vehicle and plopped down in the driver's seat. 

He exhaled deeply and lowered his head to rest on the steering wheel. Dark clouds were rolling in, he could tell. The low rumble of approaching thunder echoed across the area. Harry lifted his shoulders up and down and shook himself. A faint smile appeared on his face as he relaxed and turned on the car. The locked clicked in place, and he was off.

The drive to his apartment wasn't too very long. However, before he could pull into the parking lot, Harry had to pass through the security. The guard glanced at the sticker on the bottom left of his windshield and waved him through. He waved back as he crossed the gate.

No more than ten minutes later had Harry fumbling for his keys and unlocking his door. The young man pushed open the gate to his sanctuary and hurried inside. He shook off the jacket he wore and as he did so tiny beads of rain drops rolled down the material, making wet spots on the floor. Harry hung the jacket on the coat rack to the right of the door and flicked on the lights. They flickered pitifully, one going out, the others remaining dim.

"Turn out the lights," groaned a voice from the light brown suede couch. What a wonderful greeting, Harry thought. Like the rebel he'd been in high school, Harry ignored the demand and walked over to his wayward roommate. So called roommate was buried in blankets with only a tuft of red hair poking out. The man must have burrowed even further into the covers when the lights turn on.

"I don't think I will Ron. It's only two in the afternoon," drawled Harry.

"Harry?" The mound of blankets moved as the red haired man sat up, revealing a face of freckles and boyish delight. "You're back already? That didn't take very long."

"Yeah, I'm back," re iterated the other. Harry shuffled further inside and plopped on the sofa next to his best friend. He'd first met Ronald Weasley when they'd started at Jacksonville High as freshman. They'd stuck like glue to each other after discovering similarities that couldn't be denied. Although they were like night and day personality wise, the two shared many common interests.

"Good. Now you can come with Lav and me to the Black Cat. We'll have a lot of fun," a roguish grin spread across his face, "And maybe you'll pick someone up."

A light pink flush arose on Harry's cheeks. The thought of joining up with a stranger was unappealing, even if a little exciting the longer he dwelled on it. He tilted his head so that the wispy raven bangs framing his face fell into his eyes.

"That's okay, Ron. I don't think I'm up to it tonight. Why don't you and Lavender take the opportunity to be alone?" Harry's lips formed a small, tired smile.

"Oh," the other man seemed to wilt a bit. He slowly nodded his head in acceptance. As his friend stood up, Harry felt the height difference not for the first time. The blankets that had cocooned around the redhead fell to the ground as he moved from the couch.

"You know you can come if you change your mind, or, uh, feel up to it, yeah?" Ron hinted in an asking tone. He didn't wait for an answer as he turned around and left the room. Harry assumed he was fleeing to his room to prepare for the evening out.

Harry bent down to collect the blankets, folding them neatly and placing them in a stack on the corner of the couch. He breathed heavily, taking in a gulp of air, and turned on the television. The screen cast a glow in the faint lighting of the room. Apparently the last person to use the TV had been busy doing something else, for the volume was turned down low.

Turning his head, Harry's eyes drifted out to the window. The weather had picked up, and the sky had opened. The rain pelted down harshly, sliding down the glass pane. The rapidly falling drops created a slight haze, marring any view that might have once been seen. It was winter and Harry was surprised that it was even pouring at all. The weather was hardly ever so inclined, even during the spring vitality; in the mountains—even in the valley his city occupied—snow was a common sight and not to be underestimated. He knew without a doubt what the scenery was outside. The grounds of the apartment complex were pretty during spring and summer, breathtaking in the fall, and bleak in the winter.

At the moment the white aspens were bereft of any leaves, having long since lost the golden stars that usually adorned their branches in the early autumn. Magnificent pines positively radiated on clear days, but on this one, they seemed rather subdued. They same could be said of any blue spruce, shrub, sage brush, or plant life.

Harry's mind wondered from the current weather to the night Ron had proposed. He usually would have taken up the offer in an instance, but lately he felt as if he shouldn't be out and about. He'd been moping lately, even if it was unintentional. Maybe he could change his mind.

He was startled from his thoughts as the door the led to Ron's room opened. He glanced up to the clock hung on the wall, surprised to find a couple hours had passed as he'd been daydreaming. Ron must have fallen asleep in his room after leaving the den. The aforementioned man came out dressed and ready for clubbing. His clothes consisted of leather pants and few well-placed accessories. Harry chuckled lightly as Ron grinned at him.

"Still a no? You know Black Cat is new. 'Supposed to be really good, too," bribed the redhead.

"I might join you later. Who knows?" Harry stood up from the couch, moving over to Ron.

"You'll come," he replied with determination. The black haired man laughed and brushed off the dust that remained on Ron's shoulders. I guess he hasn't worn that in a while, mused Harry.

"I'm glad you think so—"

"I know so," he affirmed.

"Well, then, I guess I'll be seeing you later. Look for me at around nine. I'm taking a nap."

Ron whooped, squeezed Harry, and bolted out the apartment door. Harry was left in his tracks, holding in laughter at his friend's antics. He shook his head and walked into the kitchen. The man prepared a simple bowl of cereal to eat. He wasn't some gourmet chef, and he certainly wasn't about to make anything complex to eat.

After consuming his favorite brand, _Choco Puffs_, he trudged into his own bedroom. It wasn't over personalized (after all, he rented the apartment) but it did have obvious marks of his touch. The walls were light blue, the plush carpet an off white, and the ceiling was painted to mimic an actual blue sky. There was a silver engraved mirror hanging on the wall above his four-poster bed. The bed itself was a rather plain and made of dark cherry wood. The comforter was striped indigo and violet. There were a variety of plush pillows arranged on the head of the bed. All in all, it was a very comfortable and relaxing room.

Harry was all for jumping on the bed. He promptly did so, enjoying the feeling of sinking into the downy bed.

* * *

**A/N: **_S'not very long. But it's a prologue, so don't you guys worry. Tell me what you think! (Constructive criticism__ welcomed.) I have a vague idea of how I want this story to go. So, you should know that not all things are as they appear. It _is _an alternate universe, but that doesn't mean there is no magic. There is, I promise. Things are going to take an interesting turn within the next few chapters. Anyway, I currently have no beta, so if anyone is willing to help me out, it'd be greatly appreciated!_


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